Business News

Unemployment in January fell to 6.1pc, a small decrease on the 6.2pc recorded in December, and a more substantial decrease from the 7.4pc reported in January 2017.

The seasonally adjusted number of persons unemployed was 143,700 this month, a decrease from 146,700 in December, and a decrease of 28,600 when compared to January 2017, according to the latest data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

This month the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.5pc for males, down from 6.6pc in December 2017, and down from 7.5pc in the same month last year.

While the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for females this month was 5.6pc, a decrease of 5.8pc last month, and a decrease from 7.3pc in January 2017.

Youth unemployment remains in double-digits, with 13.7pc of persons aged between 15 and 24 years unemployed, decreasing slightly from 13.8pc in December.

Earlier this month the Central Bank said that it predicted an extra 89,000 people will be in work by the end of next year. This would bring the total number with a job to around 2.3 million – well ahead of the previous peak of 2.24 million seen in 2007 at the end of the Celtic Tiger years.